The 10 Greatest Moments in Miami Heat History

The Miami Heat are a storied franchise that have existed in the NBA for 22 seasons. Over the last two decades they have bred some outstanding players and have endured some amazing and heartbreaking times.

Heat fans went through a lot before the team finally won their first championship in 2006.

These are the top 10 moments in Miami Heat history.

10. Miami Heat Retires Alonzo Mourning's Number

This was truly a historic moment in Miami Heat history. Alonzo Mourning became the first Heat player in franchise history to have his number retired, and it was well deserved.

Zo was the pillar of the Heat's rise to championship contention in the 90s and was Miami's heart and soul for many years.

No player in Heat history has had such an impact on the franchise besides Dwyane Wade, of course.

His passion, hustle, and intensity were his trademark in his Miami days.

Mourning holds numerous Heat records, was an integral part of the championship squad in 2006, and is a special player to Heat fans everywhere.

He went through so many ups and downs in his tenure with Miami, both in the 90s and 2000s, and witnessed many major moments in Heat history.

It was great to finally see Mourning get that ring he sought after for so many years.

His jersey being raised up into the rafters of American Airlines Arena last season symbolized his value to the franchise and was the perfect ending to a storied career in Miami.

He will be forever remembered as one of the greatest Heat players of all time and his No. 33 will be hanging in AAA for years to come.

9. Drafting Dwyane Wade With the Fifth Overall Pick in 2003

After a two-year playoff absence and a 25-57 finish in 2002, the 2003 draft became a crucial one for Miami as they attained the fifth overall pick.

With LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony headlining the field, Wade fell a little under the radar.

But when Miami drafted Wade, expectations and excitement were still very high for the Marquette product.

Miami's front office and fans were very excited about his potential, and many considered Wade to be one of the best draft picks in Heat history.

When David Stern announced that the Heat had selected Wade with the fifth overall pick, it was an exciting moment.

Lots of fans were really happy, especially after seeing the young shooting guard lead the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Final Four the previous year.

And as we all know, Dwyane Wade became Dwyane Wade.

8. 1997 Heat-Knicks East Semi Finals Series

The Heat-Knicks playoff battles in the late 90s were among the most fierce and hate-filled rivalries in NBA history. Unfortunately, New York got the best of Miami by taking three out four series in 98, 99, and 2000.

But the lone time the Heat were able to defeat the Knicks in 1997, it came in emphatic fashion in a physical seven-game series.

This was the series infamous for the notorious brawl (pictured above) and saw the Heat advance to their first-ever conference championship.

What made the series even sweeter for Miami was that they won three straight games to come back from a 3-1 deficit and defeat their hated rivals.

Heat fans will always remember the '97 Miami-New York series.

7. The Signing of Pat Riley as Head Coach

This could theoretically be the No. 1 moment in Miami Heat history. The signing of Pat Riley as head coach and team president in 1995 marked a transition for this franchise.

The start of the Riley era signaled an entire mindset shift for the Heat. Before Riley was aboard, Miami was a lowly franchise that had seen little success.

Riley transformed the Heat into a winning franchise and gave them a winning attitude. He turned them into one of the fiercest defensive teams in the NBA and made that a cornerstone of the franchise.

Riley has been making power moves from the second he arrived in Miami.

From trading for Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway to acquiring Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, he has always been able to find a way to make the Heat competitors.

Riley is truly the reason why Miami was able to win the title back in 2006 and deserves full credit for the franchise's success.

6. Alonzo Mourning's Return to the Miami Heat in 2005

It was one of the happiest days in Heat history when they announced the return of the franchise's most prized son.

When Miami signed Mourning midseason in 2005, they got back a Heat legend that went way deeper than a simple midseason signing to bolster their roster for the playoffs.

Miami fans created a buzz and packed the stadium to see the return of Zo, with the center certainly delivering in his second stint with the Heat.

He became a crucial member of the 2006 team that won the NBA championship, cementing his role in Miami Heat history.

Mourning's return will never be forgotten, evident by the energy in the stadium during his first game back with the team.

Zo will forever be loved and his return to the team was appreciated by Heat fans everywhere.

5. Dwyane Wade's Return to Dominance Last Season

After Miami's title year in 2006, Wade was on top of the basketball world. He was the championship MVP and looked primed to become one of the best players in the NBA.

However, two consecutive injury-riddled seasons temporarily derailed the superstars career.

While his numbers were still amongst the top of the league and he still ranked as one of the league's best players, he lost a lot of his explosiveness.

It appeared that he might not be the same player after missing a combined 62 games from 2006-2008.

While he undoubtedly put up big numbers, critics questioned if he would ever continue his rise to becoming an unquestionable top three player in the NBA.

It was a dark reality for Heat fans waiting to see how he would return in 2009.

Not only did Dwyane Wade return to his former self, he dramatically improved. He shattered his former numbers and put together the best statistical season of his career.

In his comeback year, he averaged an unbelievable 30.2 PPG, 7.5 assists, five rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game to take the league by storm and silence any critics that said he wouldn't return to All-Star form.

It wasn't even the stat line that made his comeback so special, it was the fashion that he did it in.

From high flying dunks to incredible blocks, Wade was simply all over the place on both sides of the floor and showcased a unique explosiveness that had everybody turning their heads.

His highlight reel mounted up in 2009 with game-winning shots, posterizing dunks, and excellent defensive plays.

It truly was a great moment in Miami Heat history to see the franchise's all-time greatest player get back to form and continue his path of becoming one of the best players in the NBA.

Not only did Wade return to dominance, he ensured Heat fans that his exciting play wasn't going anywhere.

4. The Trade for Shaquille O'Neal

This was one of the most exciting moments in Heat history. When it was announced that the Heat struck a deal with the Lakers to acquire Shaq, it created an unmatched and one-of-a-kind buzz in Miami.

O'Neal's welcoming party in South Beach saw over 200,000 people attend the event, with the Big Fella being met by ecstatic fans screaming his name.

He single-handedly put Miami on the map as one of the most talked about teams in the league and elevated them to immediate title contenders.

In addition, he catapulted the Heat to the hottest covered team in the NBA.

His buzz was so big that it raised the Heat to one of the top ticket selling teams in the NBA and gave Miami the maximum amount of nationally televised games allowed in a season.

The Heat sold out nearly all their games in the former Final MVPs' first year with the team as fans packed the seats to watch Shaq play.

Remember, at the time, O'Neal was still in his prime, so it was surreal to Heat fans to acquire a future Hall of Famer with three championships under his belt.

Shaq gave Miami a legitimate shot to win their first title.

And just as promised, the Big Fella delivered the Heat their first championship in his second season with the team as he formed a dynamic duo with a young Dwyane Wade.

But other than just delivering a ring, Shaq's arrival to South Beach created an electricity that was unparalleled.

He became the face of Miami before Dwyane Wade did and was the most talked about subject in the city of Miami after his acquisition.

The deal to land the 15-time All-Star holds a special place in Miami Heat history.

3. Miami's Fourth Quarter Comeback in Game 3 of the 2006 Finals

With the Heat trailing 0-2 in the NBA Finals after dropping the first two games in Dallas, Game Three was a must-win situation.

And with the Heat trailing by 13 points with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Miami's title chances seemed to be slipping away.

But, Dwyane Wade led one of the most improbable comebacks in NBA history.

Wade single-handedly put the Miami Heat on his shoulders and mounted a furious comeback over the final six minutes of regulation to finish with 42 points and 13 assists.

Gary Payton hit a go-ahead jumper with just under 10 seconds left in the game to give Miami the lead.

The Mavericks had a chance to tie with Dirk Nowitizki at the line, but he uncharacteristically missed one of the free throws and Miami survived the contest to get back into the series.

Game Three proved to be a momentum changer, shifting into Miami's favor and handing them the series.

Making the moment even greater was the fact that it was on Miami's home court in front of thousands of elated Heat fans.

2. 2006 Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 Clincher Against the Pistons in Miami

After Detroit broke Miami's hearts the year before in Game Seven of the East Finals on their own home court, intensity and passion were high as the Heat and Pistons had formed a bitter Eastern Conference rivalry.

It would be the second straight conference championship matchup between the top two East seeds.

Miami was looking for revenge.

While 2005 saw a back-and-forth battle between the two, 2006 proved to be very different. The Heat had control of the series from the start, wrapping it up in six games.

The defining moment came in Game Six as the Heat cruised to a blowout victory in front of a relieved and elated home crowd.

Miami advance to their first ever NBA Finals.

The moment was even more cherished because the Heat got the best of the Pistons in the end.

1. Winning the 2006 NBA Finals

The obvious choice as the No. 1 greatest moment in Miami Heat history.

After years and years of playoff heartbreaks, the Heat finally pulled through and delivered the franchise's first championship.

Led by a rising Dwyane Wade and a wise Shaquille O'Neal, Miami pulled off one of the most captivating comebacks in NBA history.

After dropping the first two games to the Mavericks, Miami won four straight games to win the title.

Wade was spectacular, averaging 34.7 points per game in the series en route to becoming the Finals MVP. He was near perfect as he had Dallas at a loss of words. They had no answer for Wade on either end of the floor.

Miami overcame matchup problems, critics, injuries, player squabbles, and chemistry issues to earn their first ring.

There were so many memorable moments in the series, highlighted by Miami's game three comeback, the game five overtime victory, and the ultimate moment when Wade launched the basketball in the air after a Jason Terry miss: signaling the Heat's climb to the top.

1. Winning the 2006 NBA Finals

The obvious choice as the No. 1 greatest moment in Miami Heat history.

After years and years of playoff heartbreaks, the Heat finally pulled through and delivered the franchise's first championship.

Led by a rising Dwyane Wade and a wise Shaquille O'Neal, Miami pulled off one of the most captivating comebacks in NBA history.

After dropping the first two games to the Mavericks, Miami won four straight games to win the title.

Wade was spectacular, averaging 34.7 points per game in the series en route to becoming the Finals MVP. He was near perfect as he had Dallas at a loss of words. They had no answer for Wade on either end of the floor.

Miami overcame matchup problems, critics, injuries, player squabbles, and chemistry issues to earn their first ring.

There were so many memorable moments in the series, highlighted by Miami's game three comeback, the game five overtime victory, and the ultimate moment when Wade launched the basketball in the air after a Jason Terry miss—signaling the Heat's climb to the top.